The present invention is directed to a method of treating one or more of the following diseases and/or conditions in a patient in need thereof, which comprises the administration of the compound of the formula H-.beta.-D-Nal-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Lys-Val-Cys-Thr-NH.sub.2 (also known as lanreotide), where the two Cysteines are bonded by a disulfide bond, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, most preferably the acetate salt of the compound, in the treatment of certain diseases and/or conditions such as gastroenterological conditions and/or diseases, such as Crohn's disease, systemic sclerosis, external and internal pancreatic pseudocysts and ascites, VIPoma, nesidoblastosis, hyperinsulinism, gastrinoma, Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome, diarrhea, AIDS related diarrhea, chemotherapy related diarrhea, scleroderma, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, pancreatitis, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, postprandial portal venous hypertension especially in cirrhotic patients, complications of portal hypertension, small bowel obstruction, gastroesophageal reflux, duodenogastric reflux and in treating endocrinological diseases and/or conditions, such as Cushing's Syndrome, gonadotropinoma, hyperparathyroidism, Graves' Disease, diabetic neuropathy, macular degeneration, hypercalcemia of malignancy, Paget's disease, and polycystic ovary disease; in treating various types of cancer such as thyroid cancer, leukemia, meningioma and conditions associated with cancer such as cancer cachexia; in the treatment of such conditions as hypotension such as orthostatic hypotension and postprandial hypotension and panic attacks.
Lanreotide is an analog of somatostatin and is known to inhibit growth hormone release as well as inhibit insulin, glucagon and pancreatic exocrine secretion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,371 discloses lanreotide, a method for making it and a method for inhibiting the secretion of growth hormone, insulin, glucagon and pancreatic exocrine secretion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,856 discloses the use of lanreotide of treating restenosis.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,943 discloses the use of lanreotide for treating hepatoma.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,541 discloses the use of lanreotide for treating lung cancer.
U.S. application Ser. No. 08/089,410 filed Jul. 9, 1993 discloses the use of lanreotide for treating melanoma.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,069 discloses the use of lanreotide for inhibiting the accelerated growth of a solid tumor.
U.S. application Ser. No. 08/854,941 filed May 13, 1997, discloses the use of lanreotide for decreasing body weight.
U.S. application Ser. No. 08/854,943 filed May 13, 1997, discloses the use of lanreotide for treating insulin resistance and Syndrome X.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,418 discloses the use of lanreotide for prolonging the survival of pancreatic cells.
PCT Application No. PCT/US97/14154 discloses the use of lanreotide for treating fibrosis.
U.S. application Ser. No. 08/855,311 filed May 13, 1997, discloses the use of lanreotide for treating hyperlipidemia.
U.S. application Ser. No. 08/440,061 filed May 12, 1995, discloses the use of lanreotide for treating hyperamylinemia.
U.S. application Ser. No. 08/852,221 filed May 7, 1997, discloses the use of lanreotide for treating hyperprolactinemia and prolactinomas.
The contents of the foregoing patents and applications are incorporated herein by reference.